Valve.



WILLIAM W. LOWER, 0F TYRONE, PENNSYLVANIA.

VALVE.

Application filed August 18, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM WV. LOWER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tyrone, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valves; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is a novel automatic air regulating valve for use in connection with explosive engines, and particularly with automobile engines; and its object is to pro vide a very simple and efficient valve by which more or less air can be admitted into the explosive mixture entering the engine cylinders, according as the suction or pull of the engine varies.

In the practical utilization of the invention the novel air valve is connected by piping with a fuel pipe leading from the carbureter to the engine, and the air admitted through the air valve is drawn into the explosive mixture as the latter passes to the engine. The valve however may be used with various forms of explosive engines and be located in other positions relative thereto, and such valves may be used in other connections wherever it is desired to automatically control or vary the amount of air supplied.

I will explain the invention as embodied in the form of valve illustrated in the accompanying drawings and set forth in the claims the essential features and combinations of parts in the invention for which protection is desired.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of part of an automobile engine showing the air valve and the .preferred manner of connecting same to such-engine; Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the valve; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section thereof; Fig. 4 is a front end view of the valve; and Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view thereof.

The air valve as shown comprises a tubular casing 1 which has one end contracted as at 1 so that it may be readily connected by a suitable coupling C, of ordinary construction, to a pipe P, hereinafter referred to, which pipe conducts the air to the point of utilization. The other end of the valve casing is closed by a removable cap 2 which may be perforated as shown to admit air and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1911 6.

Serial No. 46,088.

may be detachably attached to the casing in any suitable way. As shown the cap has a flange 2" provided with an internal pin or lug 2", see Fig. 3, engaging an L-shaped slot 1 in the end of the casing. Within this casing is slidably fitted a piston 3 which divides the interior of the casing into two chambers. This piston may be formed of any suitable material, and is shown as made of a compressed fiber body surrounding a metallic core 3* which is threaded at its ends, and said body is retained on this core by nuts 3. The outer end of the core 3 is adapted to limit the outward movement of the piston by contacting with the cap 2; and by varying the projection of the front end of the core 3 beyond the piston the normal posit-ion of the valve in the casing can be regulated.

The valve 3 is normally pressed toward the forward end of the casing and held in the position indicated in Fig. 3 by means of an expansible spring 5 interposed between the rear end of the piston 3 and the end 1 of the valve casing.

The casing is formed with a series of longitudinal channels or by-passes 4:, 4, 4 4

which connect at their front and rear ends with the interior of the casing, as indicated in the drawings. These by-passes may be formed by longitudinal projections on the exterior of the casing as shown, or in any preferred manner. The rear ends of the bypasses may all communicate with the casing in rear of the piston at about the same point circumferentially of the casing if desired; but the forward ends of these by-passes communicate with the casing at different points, longitudinally and circumferentially of the casing, so that while the piston in its foremost position may close all the by-passes, see Fig. 3, it will successively uncover the forward end of the by-passes 4, 4*, 4, 4 as the valve is moved more or less toward the rear end of the casing, and a greater or less quantity of air will be permitted to flow into the casing and around the piston through the lay-passes to pipe P. The amount of air gines the valve 3 is displaced by air pressure due to suction in the pipe P, as hereinafter explained.

In the preferred arrangement, illustrated in Fig. 1, the pipe P may be connected at its discharge end with the gas pipe m leading from the carbureter of the engine to the engine cylinders. A shut-elf valve B can be placed at the point of connection of pipe P with the fuel pipe, and a perforated tube or screen Sof any suitable kind may be placed in the fuel pipe m, as indicated at S in Fig.

1, so that the air from pipe P when admitted into pipe on will be thoroughly disseminated in the gases flowing throughpipe m. The pipe P may be wrapped around the exhaust pipe if desired, as indicated in Fig. 1, so that the air passing therethrough may be heated before entering the fuel pipe.

When the valve B is opened the suction in the fuel pipe m will draw air into the valve 1 and through pipe P into the fuel pipe, the amount ofair drawn through the pipe P being regulated by and varying with the dis placement'of the piston 3 caused by such suction. The air entering the casing 1 through the cap 2 passes around the piston 3 through one or more of the b'y-passes, according to the suction and displacement of piston 3 and passes through pipe P into the fuel pipe and is disseminated by the screen in said pipe and mixed with the fuel gases passing therethrough to'the engine.

I have foundin practical use of my valve on an automobile engine that it-greatly enhanced the efliciency of the engine, reduced vibration, and lessened fuel consumption.

I do not consider the invention restricted to the specific form and proportion of parts shown in the drawings, as these may be varied while retaining the essential novel characteristic features and functions of the invention.

I claim:

1. An air valve for the purpose specified comprising a casing having an inlet and. a plurality of by-passes successively farther removed from the inlet of the casing, with a piston in said casing adapted to successively open the by-passes as it is retracted; and means for yieldingly pressing the piston toward the inlet end of the casing.

2. An air valve for the purpose specified comprising a casing having an inlet and a series of by-passes having their inlet ends successively farther removed from the inlet of. the casing, with a piston in said casing adapted to successively uncover the inlet ends of said by-passes as the piston is retracted, and means for yieldingly moving the piston to close the by-passes.

3. In an air valve for the purpose specified thecombination of a cylinder having an inlet atone end and a series of exterior longitudinally disposed by-passes successively farther removed from the inlet of the easing; with a piston in said casing adapted to successively open the bypasses as it is retracted; and a spring for yieldingly moving the piston to close the by-passes, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I alfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM W. LO\VER. Vitnesses:

JAcon E. BARLEY, W. F. TAYLOR. 

